Paul’s testimony
Acts 21:40-22:1-22; 4/28/2024; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang
Introduction
In order to bear witness in Jerusalem, God began to prepare in Macedonia, and then along the way, brothers and sisters warned that there would be chains in Jerusalem. It turns out that Paul’s current opportunity was to speak his testimony in Jerusalem. Let’s look at the first point:
Self introduction
It is not easy to get an opportunity to speak, especially an opportunity to share the gospel. God even gave Paul a good place to stand on the steps. Standing high not only can Paul see far, but his voice can also travel far. First, declare himself. To the fellow villagers, Paul directly spoke Hebrew, and everyone became quiet. Who is Paul? The whole city also wanted to know and hear what Paul had to say. Paul said, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. Calling oneself a Jew not only refers to bloodline, but also refers to the origin of faith. They all worship God, the only true God. Paul emphasized that he was born in Tarsus, Cilicia, which actually alluded to his status as a Roman citizen. Because Tarsus was one of the few cities in the Roman Empire that allowed Jews to obtain Roman citizenship at birth.
Secondly, be honest about his old self. Paul’s status superiority had a profound impact on his self-image. In addition to his impressive status as a Roman citizen, Paul was educated under Gamaliel. Paul was even a popular figure in the eyes of the high priest and elders. Being superior in status and having this sense of superiority are two different concepts. This kind of pride buried deep in life may not even be captured by Paul himself. The old self comes from Adam and is characterized by greed and pride. Even if we believe in the Lord, we may still be bound by the old self that comes out to bite us from time to time and continue to live in the illusion of pride.
Finally, the evil of the past. Paul said: “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,” At this point, it is obvious that Paul is telling the truth. Because “as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness.” The high priest would be unhappy when Paul said this. The standard between good and evil depends on a person’s core values. After Paul believed in the Lord, all the pride he had in the past was regarded as rubbish. What Paul means is that the evil you do today is exactly what I did back then. Are you willing to know the reasons and process of my Paul’s change in values? Everyone, including the high priest, may be curious, why did Paul do the opposite? Let’s look at the second point:
Process of salvation
God is faithful and righteous. How you treat others will be treated as such. Paul chained Christians back then, and today the high priests and elders also want to chain Paul. God wanted Paul to be freed from bondage, released from persecution, and forgiven from hatred. First, meet the great light in Damascus. About ten years ago, Paul, as usual, wanted to arrest Christians and take them to Jerusalem to be tortured. At that time, Paul took this ministry as an honor in his heart, as if he wanted to make it the ultimate concern of his life. However, something unexpected happened, and on the road to Damascus, Paul and his party encountered a great light. This light was called a great light because it shone on Paul on all sides. How can a person have the authority to open his eyes in front of the great light? At this time, Paul did not even have the ability to respond. His rationality, sensibility, and spirituality seemed to be frozen. It’s a bit like Moses meeting the fire that could not burn the bush on Mount Sinai. Where is the majesty of the past?
Secondly, why are you persecuting me? In front of the great light, Paul’s only action was to “fall to the ground.” This was the work of the Holy Spirit, who would bear witness with Paul’s heart that Paul was a child of God. At this moment, Paul heard the most shocking and strange sound in his life: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” By the way, Paul was still called Saul at this time. This high-ranking disciple who was taught by Gamaliel probably already understood in his heart. Who can speak to him in the great light? He just asked: “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord’s answer was even more surprising: “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.” What? Is Jesus whom our high priest, King Herod, and even the entire Jewish Sanhedrin decided to crucify Christ?
Finally, Ananias helps you! So what should I do? Are all the things I thought were right wrong? Lord, what should I do? By this time, Paul had firmly believed that this was the voice of the Lord! The Lord says, get up and go into Damascus! The people traveling with him were surprised when they saw Paul. For some reason, he became blind and could not see. When he arrived in Damascus, he saw Ananias, whom God had prepared for Paul, and said to him, “Paul, you can see!” Paul opened his eyes and saw. From not able to see to being able to see, we cannot find the cause and cannot predict the result. Ananias also appeared for no reason and would never appear again. Thus we have no other way out but to give glory and praise to God. Let’s look at the third point:
Called by the Lord
Of course, our God is reasonable. God transcends reason but is not bound by reason. Because of God’s richness, our knowledge of God is also based on what we know and what we don’t know. Especially things related to salvation and calling. First, being chosen. The purpose of God preparing Ananias for Paul was to save, call, heal, comfort, and lead him on the path of mission. Ananias said: “The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.” From then on, the trajectory of Paul’s life basically followed what Ananias said on this day. I remember that when I was called, God also spoke to me through a pastor and gave me scriptures about my calling.
Secondly, being baptized. Ananias said to Paul: “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” Thinking about it, Paul and I are similar in some ways. Baptism and calling were almost at the same time. I was baptized on July 13, 1991. The night before, God’s call came to me. From then on, I followed a path to where I am now, without any hesitation, and I will be faithful until death. Here we also see that whether it is cleansing or baptism, the most important thing is to do it in the name of the Lord. Because only in the name of the Lord can we be cleansed from all our sins.
Finally, the Gentile apostles. After Paul was baptized in Damascus, he returned to Jerusalem. He needs to rethink, pray, and determine the direction of serving God in the future. One day, while Paul was praying in the temple, the Bible says that he was “in a trance,” that is, he saw a vision. Paul in Vision “and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.” Even when Jesus preached the gospel in his own hometown, few people accepted it. Paul confessed his sins to the Lord and prayed, saying, Lord, I persecuted the believers in Jerusalem and threw them into prison. Even when Stephen was stoned to death, I stood by and rejoiced. The Lord said: “Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.” From then on, Paul spent his whole life as an apostle to the Gentiles according to the Lord’s command.
Conclusion
Well, thank the Lord! Paul’s flesh-and-blood testimony gives me new insights every time I read it. Paul’s life had such a shocking impact on me that I felt that changing my name to Paul was also the Lord’s intention. So much so that my whole life I have been imitating Paul, just as Paul imitated the Lord!
Let us pray……
Acts 21:40-22:1-22
21:40 And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
1 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,
5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.
7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’
11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him.
14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;
15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.
20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”